Park University's men's basketball program had a great first half against No. 19 Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan. on Wednesday night, but the Wildcats had a better second half to earn the 84-69 win.

The Pirates move to 3-4 on the season with a 2-1 Heart of America Athletic Conference record, while the 6-1 Wildcats are off to a 3-0 start in Heart play.

It was a solid first half by Park in a game that had three ties and nine lead changes, all coming in the first half. The Wildcats had a three-point lead at the 13:33 mark, but Tristan McRoberts and Christian Bradford combined for a 6-2 run to take a 13-12 lead at the 12:15 mark. It continued to be back-and-forth as a two more lead changes occurred on a Baker layup and an Abubakar Kromah response for two points as well. Piggy backing off of Kromah, Jacob Barnett heated up with two-point and three-point jumpers to give Park a 20-14 lead at the 10:40 mark. As the half continued, Shawndale Ross, Barnett, and Kromah combined for a 7-0 run to give  Park a 12-point lead with 6:47 to play, 29-17. The Wildcats would get hot from beyond the arc finishing the last seven minutes with four three-pointers to get back in the lead at 41-39 to end the half.

A Wildcat three-pointer put Baker up 44-39 to begin the second half and Baker would not look back on their home court. Baker shot 53.6-percent from the floor in the second half to Park's 31.3-percent and did not lose the lead the rest of the contest. They also took care of free-throw shooting at nine-of-11 to Park's seven-of-10 in the second half. The Wildcats worked to their largest lead of 17 points within the last minute of 17 points, as the game finished 84-69.

For the game, Park short 42.1-percent from the field and were just edged by Baker at 51.7-percent. The Wildcats doubled the made three-pointers with 10 for the game to Park's five.

The Pirates held the advantage at the free-throw line with 16-of-19 made, while Baker shot 12-of-16 of the same.

Park had four more turnovers than Baker and the 11 first half turnovers possibly came back to hurt the Pirates. Baker had four more points off of turnovers, five more points in second chance scores, and 12 more points in the paint.

Transition buckets favored the Wildcats as well with 21 fastbreak points to only two for Park.

Three Pirates were in double-figures, starting with Barnett's 19-point night. Kromah and Bradford were getting it done down low with 12 and 10-point performances. Bradford led with eight boards, while Ross had a balanced nine points and five rebounds for the game.

It was good ball distribution and only two of the nine Pirates that played did not score.

Park and the Mustangs of Mount Mercy will continue with Heart play on Saturday, November 16 at 2pm in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. WATCH
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